Broken Promises
by RahzelKane
Summary: Usopp had never been one to admit his wrongs, hiding behind his lies and false bravado. But now, when there was undeniable proof, there were no words to right this wrong. Because it wasn't his body that was lying still, so very still, and unmoving on the ground, but instead Luffy.


**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or any of the characters in this fanfiction.**

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><p>Usopp had never been one to admit his wrongs, hiding behind his lies and false bravado. But now, when there was undeniable proof, there were no words to right this wrong. Because it wasn't his body that was lying still, so very still, and unmoving on the ground, but instead Luffy. And even as Zoro, ever faithful and protective, gathered Luffy gently into his arms, Usopp drowned himself in guilt, because there were no condemning words. No accusing eyes. And wasn't that the saddest thing of all? …That even after their two-year separation, they still thought of Usopp as being weak, as someone to be protected.<p>

Even as they walked back to the ship, leaving the broken bodies of the ones who had done this to Luffy, their captain, their savior, their beloved _nakama_, they reached out soothing hands. Though their eyes shined with fear and leftover rage, their hands were firm as they fiddled with his vest, adjusted his hat, and smoothed down his hair. And Usopp simply trailed behind with hunched shoulders.

…

There was a stifling silence, with no Luffy to incite another fight between Sanji and Zoro, to pester Robin, Nami, or Franky, or to start another game of tag with Chopper, Usopp, and Brook tagging along. Instead, they could only keep up a pretense of cheerfulness while they went about their daily tasks. And if Zoro took a nap with a clear view of the med bay, Brook played soothing music instead of his customary rock tunes, or Sanji's love-sick compliments weren't as enthusiastic as usual, no one mentioned it.

So when Chopper finally opened the door, he met Zoro's anxious gaze with a breathless, "He's fine. _Luffy's_ fine."

And even as relief filled the air, Usopp sunk back onto the ground with a stifled sob, whispering with relief, _Luffy, thank god_.

Chopper explained that they had used a seastone bullet and that it just needed to be taken out. When he told them that Luffy would need lots of rest to sleep off the effects, Nami muttered out, _Baka_, with annoyance, as though she wasn't wiping tears from her eyes. And even as Luffy slept, they visited him with songs and stories, because they loved him. Their lovable idiot that was always getting hurt, and putting himself in harm's way.

Yet they could understand, and they blamed neither Usopp nor Luffy, because they too remembered. Remembered the unrelenting loneliness, the humiliation of being too weak to protect their _nakama_, and the sheer regret of leaving Luffy to suffer alone for so long. And now that they were together again, with an almost overwhelming companionship after so long without, with strength now to protect each other, and resolve to protect Luffy and his dream, hadn't they almost failed? Hadn't they almost broken that untold promise to be strong enough so that one of them would never get hurt so much again? But they could not despair. They would simply have to get even stronger to protect their precious captain.

…

When Usopp finally gathered enough courage to visit Luffy, he shuffled inside and hovered at the door, before berating himself for his fear. He hadn't been the one shot, so why was he acting as the victim? As he all but collapsed into the chair next to his sleeping friend, words seemed to just tumble out of his mouth. "I'm so sorry Luffy! I…I was so stupid, not paying attention like that!"

Reaching out a shaking hand, he clasped Luffy's shoulder and bent his head to rest upon the bed, only to feel a firm hand clasp onto his wrist. Snapping his head up, Usopp peered into sleepy black eyes. Even as Usopp scrambled to sit up, the firm grip on his wrist only tightened, and he froze as Luffy spoke. "Usopp-," was all Luffy could say before he coughed, his entire body trembling from the aftermath.

But before Usopp could try to force Luffy to rest again, he had regained his breath and rasped out, "A-are you okay? Where are the others?"

"They're upstairs, waiting for you to get better. A-and I'm fine! I am the great Captain Usopp after all! Even a cannon wouldn't do anything to me!"

"Sou ka. I'm glad." And even as Luffy's grip slackened on Usopp's wrist, he fell asleep again, unaware of the emotional turmoil he had left Usopp in. And he felt his heart expand and almost burst from the lovelovelove_love_. Because Usopp from just that little conversation realized what he should have all along. That the best way to hurt Luffy was to hurt his nakama and that weakness had never played a part in the reason Luffy had chosen to protect him from that bullet.

Pressing his head next to Luffy's arm again, Usopp whispered breathlessly, "You won't have to protect me again. I'll get stronger, so much stronger. And I'll always be there to watch the back of the Pirate King."

Standing up on steady legs, he walked outside with his back straightened with resolve and his head held up high. And as he told the others that Luffy had woken up for a while, Sanji returned to his kitchen with vigor as he continued cooking what was sure to be a feast, of course with extra meat. Robin smiled secretively at Usopp's new demeanor, even as Zoro raised an eyebrow, unsurprised with what he had come to know as "Luffy's effect."

…

And as they all poured into Luffy's room for dinner, bringing extra chairs and surrounding him with their protective presence, they in turn basked in his cheerfulness. Because with Luffy awake, everything had returned to how it should be, the open sea spreading out before them, the lure of untold adventures, and the promise of _forever_ with their precious, precious _nakama_.


End file.
